On for Young and old in Cairns

FORMER Taipan Mitch Young has promised his front-court mates will bring the same aggression and physicality on Saturday that delivered the Bullets a win in the Far North earlier this month.

In the first new Queensland derby, the Bullets pushed around the Snakes on their home court in the now-infamous blackout game.

On that Sunday afternoon, the Bullets big-man department of Daniel Kickert, Young, Tom Jervis, Cameron Bairstow and Anthony Petrie bullied the Taipans’ front court and Young wants to bring the same level of aggression again.

The Taipans’ front court of Nate Jawai, Mark Worthington, Alex Loughton and Nnanna Egwu get their chance at redemption this Saturday.

“That is just the way both teams are built and want to play in the front court,” Young said.

“We both have physical big bodies that play hard. We run a lot of similar stuff.

“When we matched up in Cairns, it was a very physical game. And I expect Saturday’s game to be much like that again.

“It is a physical league, every team is deep with a lot of talent.

“We have versatile big guys that can do a number of things, we can take guys in and out.”

Young is not the only former Taipan involved in the fresh Queensland derby, with guard Shaun Bruce, forward Torrey Craig and assistant coach Mick Downer also part of the Snakes side that made the 2014-15 grand final.

Young was part of the “Reptile Rumble” clashes between Cairns and the now-defunct Townsville Crocodiles and admits the Bullets-Taipans rivalry is not quite at that level yet.

“I saw people calling it the Queensland rivalry, which I guess it is,” Young said.

“There is that added thing that we have a few ex-Taipans on the Bullets team.

“It might build into a rivalry down the track but we have only played them the once up there. We will see how it goes.”

The Snakes get the Bullets on the second game of a Round 9 back-to-back as they travel to play Perth tonight before returning for the Saturday night game at home.